UP...UP...AND AWAY............................This month I was very fortunate to take a weekend girl trip with my daughter Debi. First we went to Valrico and stayed with my friends Sharon and Larry Rhyce. Sharon is a 4th grade teacher and Debi is a first year teacher in 4th grade so she went and shadowed Sharon and received many great suggestions, supplies, etc. from them.

Then....it was on to my daughter Jessie's in Tampa. Jessie is a neonatal nurse at St. Joseph's hospital. She will graduate in December as a neonatal nurse practicioner. Jessie also does flight transport. Keep in mind this is my daughter who used to throw up if someone else did, gag at the sight of blood and never ever go on a thrill ride! Well..we were out shopping and she was on call for transport. Well...she got a call and I was fortunate enough to be able to pull behind the hospital and go and see her take off. I can't believe it. I'm amazed.

Jessie is now flying all over the country interviewing for when she graduates. Hopsitals have already flown her to Philadelphia, St. Louis and Houston. She is going to Atlanta soon.

The pictures above her in her flight suit after the trip (she won't like that picture) and the helicopter lifting off with her in it. We are so very proud of her!

Ernesto a Dud?This is a picture of my home from yesterday. We just had the painter finish this week. Roof is done and front porch keystone banister and columns are in place. Now we are working on the landscaping. All these repairs have been done due to Hurricane Wilma last October. Just when we are finished.....Ernesto threatens!It is 6:20 p.m. and thank God Ernesto seems to be a dud. We have our home shuttered and spent hours cleaning up...putting away things like bird feeders, garbage cans, windsocks, planters, and basically anything that will fly. My office closed at 2 and we are closed tomorrow as well. Schools and courts are closed for two days. It is raining in squalls and just a little wind. Nothing near what Katrina was last August. Hopefully this is all we will get throughout the night and up through tomorrow at noon....so says the news. I'm a happy camper! We even have electric!!Thank God for blowing this storm apart!

Nashville .....On August 11, 2006, Elias and I flew to Nashville, Tn. for a long weekend together. It was wonderful considering we are NOT country music affecianados. I got a good package deal, flight, Marriott Hotel and rental car for four days. We visited the Jack Daniel's Distillery. It was an experience as they still take you through the original plant. The picture is one of their old firetrucks. No free samples....only lemonade or coffee but we had a great time. Our guide, Joe was great. Every sentence ended with that good Jack Daniel's whiskey! We also visited the Opryland Hotel which is a city unto itself. We took a 15 minute boat ride through the hotel...yes...I said through the hotel! It is inside a huge glass dome. Needless to say, we walked a lot, drank a lot and were very merry!